HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Women's Basketball travels to the "Yellowhammer State" this weekend, as Bethune-Cookman faces off against Alabama A&M (February 18) and Alabama State (February 20) on the road in a showdown between three of the top four teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. In the league standings, BCU is tied alongside Alabama A&M and Alabama State in second place with similar 9-4 conference records.
 
Bethune-Cookman needs just two (2) wins to guarantee a place in the SWAC Women's Basketball Tournament, set to take place March 8 through March 11, at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
What: Game Twenty-Four
Who: Bethune-Cookman (10-13, 9-4) at Alabama A&M (11-12, 9-4)
When: Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, at 3 p.m. CT
Where: Huntsville, Ala. – Alabama A&M Events Center (6,000)
 
Watch: AAMU Athletics YouTube
Attend: Online Ticket Sales
Stats: Click Here
 
What: Game Twenty-Five
Who: Bethune-Cookman at Alabama State
When: Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, at 5:30 p.m. CT
Where: Montgomery, Ala. – Dunn-Oliver Acadome (7,400)
 
Watch: Alabama State Athletics YouTube
Attend: Online Ticket Sales
Stats: Click Here
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Bethune-Cookman Women's Basketball this year by following the Wildcats social media platforms. You can follow @BCU_WBB on Instagram and @BCUWBB on Twitter.
 
SCOUTING ALABAMA A&M
Alabama A&M enters the weekend sitting third in the SWAC standings with a 9-4 league record, and an 11-12 record overall. The Bulldogs have won three of their last four games, after dropping back-to-back contests in Florida against Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman, respectfully. AAMU is 7-2 at home this season, and 6-0 against SWAC opponents inside the Alabama A&M Events Center.
 

• Alabama A&M is averaging 56.5 points per game, while scoring at a 61.1 ppg average against SWAC opponents
• Amani Free tops the team in scoring with 14.2 ppg, also averaging 8.4 rebounds per game
• Free is the team's leading three-point specialist with 28 made on the year
• Jayla Cody has 30 blocks and a team third-most 78 rebounds (6.0 per game)

 
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE BULLDOGS
Bethune-Cookman made it four wins on the bounce at home as the Wildcats defeated Alabama A&M by a score of 55-46 inside Richard V. Moore Gymnasium. Trailing 39-37 after three quarters, Bethune-Cookman turned up the defensive pressure, limiting the visitors to just 19 percent shooting from the field over the course of the final 10 minutes of play. The Wildcats themselves shot at a 46 percent clip from the floor, adding a perfect 8-for-8 showing at the free throw line in the fourth quarter.
 
Chanel Wilson connected on a jumper from just outside the paint for the Maroon and Gold, tying the game at 39-all just nine seconds into the final period. Alabama A&M looked towards Taylor Smith for the go-ahead basket, as the speedy guard dropped in two of her seven points on the night in order to put the Bulldogs back up 41-39. But the hosts quickly knotted the game again with a White layup in order to make it 41-41. The Bulldogs' last lead of the game would come by way of a Toni Grace layup with 5:36 remaining, before a D'Shantae Edwards layup of her own began a 10-0 Bethune-Cookman run to put the Wildcats up 51-43 with 1:55 left in the game. That basket was courtesy Nia Jordan's layup off the pass from Wilson.
 
Wilson, a native of Powder Springs, Georgia, would step to the line and convert all four of her foul shots down the stretch in order to secure the win for Head Coach Janell Crayton, and keep the Cats in the mix as part of a five-way tie for second place in the league standings alongside Southern (La.), Prairie View A&M, Alabama State and Alabama A&M, respectively. In the fourth quarter alone, BCU limited the Bulldogs to just 3-for-16 shooting from the field, and not allowing a single free throw in the period.
 
The Cats would own a 14-10 lead after the first quarter with Wilson scoring five points in the opening frame. Morgan Beacham was 2-for-4 from the field in the quarter as well, while AAMU was sparked by the duo of Darian Burgin and Amiah Simmons each garnering four points for the Bulldogs. However, in the second quarter, it would be the visitors to limit the BCU offense to just a 2-of-17 shooting touch from the floor, as well as a 0-for-4 effort from beyond the arc. Conversely, AAMU shot just 23.5 percent from the field, but was able to outscore the Cats by an 11-6 margin in order to own a 21-20 lead at the half.
 
SCOUTING ALABAMA STATE
Alabama State is one of three (3) teams tied for second place in the SWAC standings, joining in-state rival Alabama A&M and SWAC "newcomers" Bethune-Cookman, respectively. Since losing to BCU at Moore Gymnasium by a score of 69-66 on January 28, the Hornets have won four of their last five outings, including a 48-43 win over Southern (La.) at home on February 6.
 

• Opponents are outscoring Alabama State by almost nine points per game across the campaign
• Ayana Emmanuel (16.8 ppg) and Shmya Ward (16.6 ppg) are the top scorers for the Hornets
• Ward is also averaging a team-high 7.1 rebounds per contest, while also owning 16 blocked shots
• Three ASU players are connecting on 40 percent or more of their shots from three-point range – Ward (58.4), Cordasia Harris (48.8) and Jayla Crawford (40.4)

 
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE HORNETS
Nia Jordan registered a double-double and Chanel Wilson provided double-digit scoring of her own to help lead Bethune-Cookman past Alabama State, 69-66 at Richard V. Moore Gymnasium. Leading 47-46 after three quarters, Bethune-Cookman used six points from Nia Jordan in the third period, serving as the catalyst for the Wildcats run.
 
After Alabama State's Ayana Emmanuel tied the game at 47-all with a free throw, Kayla White knocked down a three-pointer – one of her two in the game, to put the Wildcats up 50-47. Alabama State reclaimed the lead at 51-50 following a Jayla Crawford layup with 7:37 remaining. But a quick 7-0 run sparked by D'Shantae Edwards, Morgan Beacham and White allowed the Maroon and Gold to surge out to a 58-51 lead. The Hornets pushed close several times down the stretch, eventually pulling to within 68-66 when Kristian Jackson connected on a pair of free throws off the bench with 1:10 left in the game. BCU's White hit a free throw with 20 seconds left, but the visiting Hornets had one last chance at sending the game into overtime.
 
A Ryin Tillis shot at the buzzer rimmed out, and Bethune-Cookman won its third consecutive game at home – with the Wildcats evening their record at 3-3 inside Moore Gym on the season. The Hornets led 19-11 after the first quarter, with ASU using a 17-4 run over the final seven minutes. ASU shot 50 percent from the floor throughout the first period, while holding the Cats to just a 21 percent shooting clip. BCU surged back in the second quarter, as the Cats amped up the shooting touch to connect on two (2) three-pointers, in addition to a 6-for-13 touch from the floor overall.
 
Alabama State would take a 32-30 lead into the locker room at the half.
 
ASU was charged by Crawford with 28 points, followed by Emmanuel with 17 points. Shmya Ward finished with a double-double performance of 11 points and 11 rebounds, also adding two blocked shots. Bethune-Cookman was topped in scoring by Jordan with 18 points and 12 rebounds in completing her double-double. Wilson chipped in with 16 points and two assists. Karianna Woods had a game-high four assists as well for the Maroon and Gold.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman returns home to the friendly confines of Richard V. Moore Gymnasium as the Wildcats face Southern (La.) on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 1:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast by HBCU GO. Two nights later, the Maroon and Gold play host to Grambling State at 5:30 p.m. ET.
 
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